The NHL Players Association has notified its players Wednesday through a memo that the NHL has sent written notice it plans to "terminate and/or modify" the collective bargaining agreement when it expires on Sept. 15.

This is a formality because it was well understood by the NHLPA that the league wanted to negotiate a new deal.

Under CBA Article 3.1(a), according to the memo, had no notice been given by either party, the existing CBA would have remained in place for another year.

In the memo, NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr told players they would be notified when negotiating sessions are to begin. He said all players are encouraged to attend as many of the bargaining sessions as possible.

"There is no better way to send a message to the league that players are engaged in the process of bargaining for a fair new contract," Fehr said in the memo.

the Dogsalmon wrote:why a group of millionaires need a union is beyond me...

Unions aren't only about pay. Unions also provide leverage to ensure that the working environment is safe for the workers.

Unfortunately, the NHLPA has failed spectacularly in this regard; re: lobbying for more consistent and stringent refereeing to crack down on cheap shots, head shots, and intents to injure (even if "wearing down" an opponent, wacking and hacking at injuries or creating minor injuries).

I wonder if the Canucks would fare better if they started at the same time the NBA did this season? So as our players don't go through the usual long haul grind of the what's now a boring regular season where the fans and players are anticipating the post season.

Another reason to have a 3rd scoring line that AV can give more minutes during the long regular season to save our star players HEALTH for the playoffs where they are usually too banged up to play good.

Hence LA being under the radar this season never got the same punishment that the top teams get, so now they are nice and healthy with no significant injuries to play at their best in these playoffs.

If they win at all this season every team will play their best against them next season and play Dustin Brown like he's Matt Cooke.

SKYO wrote:I wonder if the Canucks would fare better if they started at the same time the NBA did this season? So as our players don't go through the usual long haul grind of the what's now a boring regular season where the fans and players are anticipating the post season.

Another reason to have a 3rd scoring line that AV can give more minutes during the long regular season to save our star players HEALTH for the playoffs where they are usually too banged up to play good.

Hence LA being under the radar this season never got the same punishment that the top teams get, so now they are nice and healthy with no significant injuries to play at their best in these playoffs.

If they win at all this season every team will play their best against them next season and play Dustin Brown like he's Matt Cooke.

I was wondering much the same thing in another thread. If anything, I think a labour stoppage (but not another lost season), would benefit the team and give the guys more time to heal up without consequence in the standings.

porp wrote:Unions aren't only about pay. Unions also provide leverage to ensure that the working environment is safe for the workers.

Unfortunately, the NHLPA has failed spectacularly in this regard; re: lobbying for more consistent and stringent refereeing to crack down on cheap shots, head shots, and intents to injure (even if "wearing down" an opponent, wacking and hacking at injuries or creating minor injuries).

I think a player's union is a necessity, no matter how much they get paid. Ask some of the guys who played before the PA came along what life was like.

That said, I prefer collaborative business-labour approaches (like what they have in Germany) vice the Bob Goodenow/Cape Breton Coal Miner school of militant confrontationalism. Here's hoping both sides approach this as partners instead of enemies.

Porp's point is part of the key to the league's success going forward: more inclusion and collaboration on matters of mutual interest and domain. Player safety, rule changes, consistency and rationale in suspensions - these are all things in which the players have just as much stake as the owners and GMs. Two problems: Bettman hates letting the PA have a say in anything and will say no to any further inclusion outright; and the players have to achieve some coherency in what they want on those fronts. Easy to say 'protect the players' until one of their own gets a 35-game suspension. Feher has to herd the cats if they want to achieve anything meaningful in those areas, let alone escrow and salary cap.

Imagine a CBA where rule changes were a true collaborative effort; refs were clearly instructed at the beginning of the season and then left to a 3rd party for performance scrutiny and sanctions; and a mutually agreed-upon arbitrator rule on suspensions and fines. I wonder what the product on the ice would look like. I think I'd like it a lot better than what we're seeing now.